We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a straightforward, compact boombox that plays your CDs, tunes into both AM and FM, and streams over Bluetooth, choose Gelielim CD Players; if you need a nostalgia machine that also handles cassettes, MP3 discs, USB drives, TF cards and a remote, choose M-Amazup Boombox CD Player.
• Gelielim CD Players — biggest strength: a tidy, easy-to-use all-rounder with a top-loading CD deck, AM and FM radio, Bluetooth streaming, a backlit LCD and big buttons, in a body that measures roughly 9.45 x 9 x 5.8 inches and weighs 2.6 lb.
• Gelielim CD Players — biggest trade-off: it does not support MP3 CDs, so if your music lives on burned data discs rather than standard audio CDs, this is the wrong machine.
• M-Amazup Boombox CD Player — biggest strength: the widest format list of the two — CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, plus cassette playback and recording, USB, TF card, AUX, Bluetooth and FM radio, with bass boost and a remote in the box.
• M-Amazup Boombox CD Player — biggest trade-off: no AM band at all, and it is the more feature-dense machine, which means more buttons to learn and more things that can go wrong.
• Who each is for: pick Gelielim if you want a simple, genuinely portable CD player with full AM/FM radio for everyday listening; pick M-Amazup if you have a shelf of cassettes, MP3 discs or USB sticks and want one box to play all of it.
The Gelielim is built around doing a few things well rather than doing everything. The top-loading deck plays standard CDs, CD-R/RW and audiobook CDs, with repeat and program functions, and the backlit LCD plus large buttons make it genuinely easy to operate without reading a manual twice. Two stereo speakers handle the sound, and the whole thing is designed to sit neatly in a home, on a kitchen counter or on a shelf.
What I like about its feature set is the balance. You get Bluetooth for streaming from a phone or tablet, you get an AM/FM tuner with an upgraded antenna covering FM 88–108MHz and AM 530–1710KHz, and you get power flexibility: either the AC cord or six C-cell batteries (not included, and alkaline is the sensible choice). That combination makes it a realistic take-along radio for the park, the garden or a power cut — not just a desk ornament.
Who should buy it? Anyone whose library is plain audio CDs and who wants radio plus Bluetooth in the same box. It also reads as a sensible gift for parents or grandparents precisely because the controls are big and the display is lit. Who should skip it? Two groups. If your collection is mostly MP3 discs, the Gelielim will not read them — that is a hard limitation, not a quirk. And if you need cassette playback or a remote control, neither is here. Also note the one-year warranty listed for the unit, which is worth knowing before you buy.
The M-Amazup is the "one box for everything" option. Its top-loading CD mechanism reads CDs, CD-R/RW, MP3 and WMA, so burned discs are fine here, and it adds shuffle, repeat and programmable playback. On top of that you get a cassette deck with built-in recording — you can dub from CD, radio, Bluetooth, USB, AUX or an external source onto tape, which is a genuinely unusual feature in a modern boombox.
Connectivity is broad: Bluetooth, USB, TF card and AUX, plus FM radio only (no AM) with an upgraded antenna, one-click search and a bright LCD. There is bass boost, a headphone jack, and a remote control included. Power comes from AC or six C-cell batteries (not included), and the handle design makes it obvious this is meant to be carried outside. The brand describes a retro-modern look, and the spec sheet backs that up.
Who should buy it? Anyone with mixed media — a stack of cassettes, some MP3 discs, a USB stick of albums — who wants it all in one unit. It also suits camping, backyard gatherings or emergency prep, because of the dual power and the handle. Who should skip it? People who specifically want AM radio, since it is FM-only. And people who want the simplest possible interface: this has the denser control layout of the two. The listed body warranty is one year, same as the other unit.
• Best for a simple, uncluttered interface → Gelielim CD Players, thanks to the large buttons and backlit LCD aimed at easy operation.
• Best for media format variety → M-Amazup Boombox CD Player, which reads CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 and WMA and adds cassette, USB and TF card.
• Best for radio coverage → Gelielim CD Players, because it tunes both AM (530–1710KHz) and FM (88–108MHz), while the M-Amazup is FM-only.
• Best for cassette fans → M-Amazup Boombox CD Player, which plays tapes and records them from several sources.
• Best for controlled listening → M-Amazup Boombox CD Player, since it includes a remote control and a headphone jack; the Gelielim also has a headphone jack but no remote.
• Best for carrying around the house or outdoors → either one, both run on AC or six C-cell batteries, but the Gelielim is the lighter of the two at 2.6 lb versus roughly 4.2 lb (1.89 kg) for the M-Amazup.
• Best for burned MP3 discs → M-Amazup Boombox CD Player, since MP3 CD playback is the Gelielim's clear weak point.
• Best for a gift for older relatives → Gelielim CD Players, in my opinion, because the operation is more self-explanatory and AM radio is still useful to a lot of older listeners.
If I were buying for myself, I would take the Gelielim CD Players. My reasoning is simple: for the way most people actually use a boombox — a CD now and then, the radio in the background, a phone over Bluetooth — it covers everything with less complexity, it is lighter to move from room to room, and it still gets AM as well as FM. I would only switch to the M-Amazup Boombox CD Player if I owned cassettes or a pile of MP3 discs, because that is the one job the Gelielim simply cannot do. Buy the M-Amazup for the media, not for the extra buttons.
No. The Gelielim supports CDs, CD-R/RW and audiobook CDs, but MP3 CDs are not supported. If your music is on burned MP3 data discs, the M-Amazup Boombox CD Player is the one that reads them.
No, it is FM only. The Gelielim CD Players cover both AM (530–1710KHz) and FM (88–108MHz), so if AM stations matter to you, that is the deciding factor.
Yes. Both take six C-cell batteries (not included) or an AC power cord — alkaline batteries are the recommended choice for the Gelielim. The M-Amazup also ships with a remote control, which the Gelielim does not include.
I am not going to quote figures, because prices change constantly. Use the "Check latest price on Amazon" button on this page to see the live price for each before you decide.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.